In an automated industrial plant, such as a production line, a petrochemical plant, a power plant or conveying plant, an industrial process is carried out with the aid of a large number of plant devices. If one of these plant devices is to be repaired or maintained then it must be ensured that the plant device is not automatically and undesirably put into operation, loaded with media or connected to a power grid during the work. Catalogs of measures which list safety measures that are to be carried out before the start of the actual work on the plant device exist to ensure occupational safety. These safety measures are conventionally carried out by an industrial plant employee and the plant device is then isolated for the work to be carried out.
This isolation can take place in that the catalog of measures is ticked off measure for measure on a form, an industrial plant employee signs the form and a copy of the form is given to the maintenance engineer as confirmation of isolation. Once work on the plant device is concluded, the isolation is cancelled in that the maintenance engineer gives the industrial plant employee the confirmation of isolation again and he then reverses the safety measures. Only then is the plant device put back into operation.